The European Association for Solar Telescopes (EAST) was founded in 2006 by a group of solar physicists from 14 European countries. Three more countries have joined after that.

The goal of EAST is to ensure access of European solar astronomers to world-class high-resolution ground-based observing facilities. In order to achieve this goal, EAST intends to develop, construct and operate a next-generation large aperture European Solar Telescope (EST) in the Canaries. Furthermore, EAST endeavours to co-ordinate the operation and scientific use of existing high-resolution optical solar telescopes on the ground in Europe, and to co-ordinate and facilitate efforts of its members to participate in other solar facilities such as the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope. EAST shall facilitate access to these solar facilities also for European solar physicists who are not EAST members and encourage their participation in EAST.

EAST President: Mats Carlsson (Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Oslo, Norway).